Many people in the gym have a good idea about how to gain mass, yet nearly everyone seems to be in the dark about getting ripped. Sure, they know how to lose a few pounds, but when they see a competitive bodybuilder's abs, their first question is always, "How do you get like that?" If there is a secret, it can be summarized to just one word: vegetables.
Eat Your Veggies
A diet comprised of lean protein with fibrous vegetables as the primary source of carbohydrate is the best way to get truly lean. The trick is in the vegetables themselves. The common thought process is that you must reduce the quantity of food ingested in order to lose fat. Not so with fibrous veggies!
More is better, and here is why: the fiber (bulk) tricks the stomach, producing a full feeling, which delays the metabolic slowdown inevitable with fat loss. In fact, throughout much of your dieting phase, the metabolic rate will actually increase, due to the sheer volume of food ingested. But the body cannot absorb appreciable amounts of carbohydrate from these vegetable sources, so it is forced to burn off that stubborn body fat for fuel.
This full—yet—starving situation creates what I call an "angered" state in the body. You can almost feel the agitation your system is experiencing as it is placed in the very strange dilemma of increasing its rate of digestion to handle the large quantities of food, and to increase thermogenic activity for energy simultaneously.
This is a very unnatural state, and you can use it to your advantage. The result is continual fat burning while minimizing the loss of lean mass. Have I got your attention yet?
You can't just eat a side salad at lunch and expect these results. This is a very high quantity diet. If you have an aversion to vegetables, and you are unwilling to follow this regimen fully, then don't waste your time. And don't complain when the guy beside you on stage makes you look smooth!
You have to really shovel it in every day. Just what amounts am I speaking of?
Veggie Meal Plan
Here is an example of day's fare on this routine:
Meal 1
- 9 egg whites
- 1 green pepper
- 1 tomato
- 1 half onion
- 1 half red pepper or jalapeno
- one half cucumber or celery
- 1 cup salsa or hot sauce
Meal 2
- 6 oz turkey, chicken or tuna
- 1 lb frozen mixed vegetables
- Salsa or hot sauce to taste
Meal 3
- 6 oz lean meat or egg whites
- Salad consisting of: 1 head red leaf lettuce, 1 half head cauliflower, 1 half head broccoli, 1 tomato, 1 half cucumber, 1 half onion, 1 half green pepper, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, vinegar and oil dressing
Meal 4: Pre-workout
- Lean meat, eggs or whey protein
- 1 cup Fiber One cereal dry
- 1 piece of fruit
Meal 5
Post-workout drink of your choice—usually about 50g protein, 50g carbs
Meal 6
Repeat Meal 2
That's alot of food! But add it up to find there is very little complex carbohydrate here. What is there is a huge amount of fiber that will keep your metabolism soaring, and just as important, all the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients required to insure good health. The diet is, in fact, the healthiest plan available.
This diet, combined with a quality multivitamin/mineral supplement, will give the greatest protection modern science can offer against many diseases and ailments that there is no better way to go! If you doubt it, I recommend you get a full blood profile performed before starting, and again after just 90 days of following the plan. Your doctor will be very curious to know just how you did it!
Additional Notes
Water is crucial. Drink as much and as often as possible, two gallons daily being common. Not all water is equal. The only truly clean source is distilled. Spring waters and many other designer brands are not nearly as pure as distilled. Look for ppm (parts per million) comparisons if you wish to verify this. Distilled is head and shoulders above the rest.
Use flax seed oil daily. A tablespoon taken twice daily should provide many of the essential fats necessary for good health. I recommend the actual oil over the capsules, unless you enjoy taking alot of pills.
Carnitine, fat burners and amino acid supplements are all very useful aids. Taking a gram of carnitine and a good fat burner on an empty stomach before performing cardio will greatly accelerate fat loss. Using aminos before and during training sessions will maintain adequate levels of vital aminos in the bloodstream. And never forget those multivitamins!
Include high calorie meals once per week to further stimulate the metabolism. Eat all the forbidden foods at this time, such as pasta, cakes, etc. This is a great time to take the wife out to dinner and really enjoy yourself. It will also maintain your sanity during the week, and give you a goal to look forward to.
Conclusion
Depending on your level of body fat, starting this plan 12-20 weeks before a contest, combined with gradually increased training and cardio, will insure that you are shredded and full on contest day. You will also find that you hold less water than on many diets.
Your energy levels will be kept very even, again due to the slow absorption rates, and your midsection will tighten faster than you thought possible. You might even thank your mom for telling you to eat your veggies!